Pope Francis starts first Africa trip from Wednesday

Nov 24, Nairobi: Pope Francis is due to start his first trip to Africa on November 25, with visits to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic.

Human Rights Watch wrote to Pope Francis on November 16 to highlight critical human rights concerns in the countries he will visit.

During his visit, Pope Francis should speak out strongly on matters of justice, civil and political rights, religious tolerance, and respect for sexual and gender minorities, as well as other pressing human rights concerns.

“This landmark visit is a key moment for Pope Francis to stand with all victims of human rights abuses, including those targeted because of their ethnic or religious group or their sexual orientation,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The Pope’s messages and actions during his visit can help alleviate the suffering of millions of Africans who are often at the mercy of abusive security forces and armed groups.”